Break from Chains
by DianaWilson2018
Summary: Alternate ending to Twilight's Kingdom. It has been one year since Discord betrayed the Mane Six and was taken away by Tirek. It was believed that he was dead, but then the chimera suddenly reappears in Ponyville sick, starved, and covered in injuries. The Mane Six are tasked with not only caring for the hurt spirit, but rekindling their relationship with him.
1. Chapter 1 – Running

A/N: Hello and welcome to my first MLP fanfic! I've been stewing on this for a while. Oh, and the credit for the cover art goes to Ghoustlygirl from Wattpad.

 **12:15 a.m. | Discord's POV**

It was raining hard and he was cold. _So cold_. Stumbling haphazardly through the dense forest, Discord tripped over everything, frantically looking over his shoulder every few seconds. The sound of pursuit echoed behind him and he picked up his pace. He could see the lights of the town and his hope swelled. _Almost there!_ he thought. Tirek wouldn't dare chase him once he was in the town, he knew it.

As Discord ran for his sanctuary, he could hear his captor yelling for him to surrender, that he would suffer less punishment if he did as he was told. Gasping for breath, Discord muttered one word: "No…" He'd gone too far to just give up. This was probably his only opportunity to escape his tormentor's clutches. So he continued to run, slimy mud sticking to his legs.

He was nearing the town when he heard something whistling through the air, a horrible pain engulfing his leg. An arrow. He'd been shot by an arrow! The razor-sharp arrowhead was buried to the shaft in his calf, the sheer pain causing his leg to buckle, with him falling to the muddy ground. Discord crawled to the streetlights at fast as he could. He could make it… he could make it! Tirek was almost upon him when he finally threw himself onto the street, looking back at his captor, speaking as they locked eyes.

"If you try to grab me now…" Discord coughed out in a hoarse voice, scooting further back into the light. "…I'll scream, and you'll be caught."

Tirek seemed to weigh his options, then growled. "This isn't finished." he hissed before retreating.

Once Discord was sure he was gone, he collapsed into the mud out of sheer exhaustion, losing consciousness.


	2. Chapter 2 – Wandering

_**[A/N]: I've actually written a few of the chapters already, so, I'll be uploading them on a daily basis. Enjoy! Oh, and I own nothing. Forgot that last chapter, doi!**_

Discord woke up shortly after, the streets still deserted. His eyes fluttered, then opened to stare up at the night sky, before he sucked in a breath and slowly sat up. His unkempt fur was matted with mud and crusted in dried blood, the same, more fresh substance coating his leg, the arrow still buried in the bruised and abused flesh. Forcing himself to his feet, Discord looked around, seeing no one. He was partially grateful for this. Given his past interactions with them, there was no way the townspeople would react well to seeing him. His stomach growled angrily, reminding himself that that wasn't the only thing to worry about. He was hungry — starving. He needed something to eat.

Discord limped and stumbled through the streets of the deserted town, injured leg practically dragging behind him as he looked for something, anything, to put in his mouth. A neighborhood came into view and the gears began turning in his head. Had Discord been working on a full stomach, a full night's sleep, his magic, and all of his blood, he probably would've found a stealthier way into one of the homes, but he had none of the above, so instead he found the nearest rock and threw it as hard as his malnourished body would allow through the front window, shattering it. Practically able to smell the food, he climbed through, ignoring the broken glass cutting into his palms and torso.

Venturing into the humble dwelling, Discord found the kitchen, turning on the sink and sucking the facet, the cool water soothing his sore throat and wetting his dry, cracked lips. Going through the cabinets, Discord found more food than he'd even seen in a long time, grabbing the first thing he saw: a box of crackers. He was stuffing the crackers into his mouth in handfuls when the light turned on and a mare's scream nearly made him crap himself. Discord whirled around to face a terrified white unicorn with a dark red mane and tail with black stripes, the cutie marks on her flanks an open book with a quill. He was frozen for a few seconds, staring at her. When she screamed again and called for her mate, he sprang into action, running/limping to the back door. He could hear a stallion yelling as he opened the door and ran. Discord had made it onto the street when he heard the alarms sounding. His leg felt like it was on fire at this point, barely able to move without making him want to scream. He knew the wound was getting infected and that he needed medical attention, but Discord also knew that he wouldn't be getting it here. Here, he was public enemy number one. If he was caught, he'd be put back in the stony prison he hated so much.

Just as Discord was sure that he would get caught and turned back into a statue, he saw his salvation; a house! It looked familiar, but all he saw was a place to take refuge before he was seen. Using the last of his strength, Discord lurched himself through an open window, falling heavily onto the wooden floor. Crouching underneath the window, he stayed quiet, listening to the guards talk.

 _Third-Person POV_

"Sargent, look at these footprints."

Sargent Sunrise Metal trotted over to the mud and looked at the prints, expecting to see hooves. He honestly didn't think this was very serious. This was a relatively peaceful town, so at worst, it was a teenager high on mushrooms who decided to break into somepony's house for a snack break to satisfy the munchies. It wouldn't be the first time he'd seen it and would be far from the last. But what Sunrise Metal saw threw all this out the window. These weren't a set of four hooveprints. There were only two prints, one thin with three claws, the other a hoof. There was only one being with prints like that, and he'd been missing for almost a year, ever since he'd betrayed the six Element Holders and sided with Tirek. He was surprised it had taken him this long to rear his ugly head again.

"Alert the princess." he said grimly. "It's Discord."


	3. Chapter 3 – Hiding

**Disclaimer: I do not own MLP. Only this story.**

 **Discord's POV**

They were gone.

Discord sighed in relief. They knew it was him, but they didn't know where he was. Speaking of which, where exactly had he hidden? This place was definitely familiar. Had he been here before? Looking around, Discord observed several bookshelves on the walls, stocked full of books. It took some time for the realization to set in and when it did, his heart skipped a beat.

Twilight Sparkle's house. Out of all the houses he could've run to, he had to find her's?! The one who would probably send him back to stone as soon as she laid eyes on him.

Slowly standing, leaning most of his weight on his (semi) good leg, Discord looked around, seeing a cabinet above the stove. The few handfuls of crackers he'd eaten had somewhat helped with the hunger pains, but his stomach still got up on its hind legs and begged like a dog for more food. Giving in to his body's demands, Discord limped to the cabinet, seeing several canned goods and a jar of corncakes. Just as he was opening the jar, he heard shuffling from the other room.

"Twilight? Is that you?"

Discord froze for a split second before grabbing a cake, the first can his paw landed on, and a towel before moving away from the voice as quietly as he could. He couldn't afford being seen. Not now. His magic hadn't returned, he was weak, hungry, and injured. He knew that he wouldn't be able to run anymore. His legs felt like jello and the simple act of walking felt like his was running a 100-mile marathon with a ball and chain around his ankles. There was nowhere to hide and Discord was about to give in and collapse out of sheer exhaustion when something caught his eye. There, wedged in a corner, was a wooden trapdoor. It blended in with the rest of the floor and would've remained unnoticed had he not been standing at the right angle. Praying that it would be unlocked, Discord grabbed the handle and pulled, the door swinging open. Breathing a sigh of relief, Discord hurried down the stairs, silently shutting the door behind him.

 **Third-Person POV**

Spike groggily trudged out of his room, yawning. "Twilight?" he looked around to see… no one.

Sighing heavily, he wrote it off as his tired imagination and went back to bed after getting a glass of water.

-.-.-

 **Discord's POV**

Discord bit down hard on the towel, giving the arrow another hard tug, creating another thick gush of blood. Tears wet his face as he pulled again, the sharp tip sliding free of his leg. Panting, Discord then used the towel as a bandage, throwing the arrow far away from him. He didn't want to look at it, and he certainly didn't want it to be anywhere near him anymore either. He turned his attention to the food he'd stolen, picking up the can. Spaghetti-Os. Not something he'd normally have, but beggars can't be choosers.

Pulling the lid off, Discord placed the rim of the can to his lips, tilting his head back to allow the cold pasta and sauce to slide into his mouth for him to devour. Discord didn't care how cold it was. It felt amazing going down and he finished quickly, licking the inside clean of any sauce or stray noodles. He ate his corncake before sitting against the wall, hugging his knees, realizing just how sick he felt. The cold Discord had been feeling earlier had settled into his chest and he began to cough. He was just so tired, and soon he was laying down on the cold cement, curling up and drifting into a fitful slumber.

 **The chapters are going to get longer, I swear.**


	4. Chapter 4 – Discovered

**A/N: Finally, a long chapter! Whoopie! I own nothing, let's get right to this!**

 **8:05 a.m. | Third-Person POV**

Twilight Sparkle sighed to herself, sitting herself at her desk, paper, quills, and books ready. She and Spike had just finished breakfast, meaning that now was work time, and she had quite the load. Twilight Sparkle shivered, looking at Spike as her purple aura lifted a quill to dip it in ink.

"Spike, could you turn on the heat? It's chilly."

Spike nodded, already halfway down the stairs, having thought of that himself. He turned the light on and reached for the furnace when what, or who, he saw laying on the floor stopped him dead in his tracks. Discord. He had been woken by the light and was now looking straight at Spike.

"HOLY—" Discord jerked, placing a talon to his lips with a shushing sound. Spike ignored his frantic eyes and ran up the stairs, screaming "TWILIGHT!"

"What?!" Twilight Sparkle asked, shocked. "What's going on?"

At first, Spike could only stutter, but managed to say "Discord!"

Twilight Sparkle got a pained look on her face. Even though it had been a little over a year, the pain of Discord's "death" still burned fresh. "Spike, he's gone. He can't be—"

" _Just look_!"

Twilight Sparkle sighed and followed the dragon down the stairs. Maybe she was working him too hard…

 **Discord's POV**

This was bad, _really_ bad! There was nowhere to hide and he could hear Twilight Sparkle approaching. As she descended the stairs, Discord crouched by them, knowing that his position would block him from sight for a short amount of time. Twilight Sparkle stepped onto the floor, taking a few steps forward.

"Spike, there's no one—"

Discord shot out of his hiding spot and onto the stairs, clambering up two to three at a time. The food he'd had only a few hours ago had given him some energy, and he forced himself to be hopeful about his chances of getting away. In all honesty, Discord didn't know where he planned on going. He had no one to turn to. All he really knew was that he was going to go far, far away from this place.

As he reached the door, he heard Twilight Sparkle yelling, something grabbing his ankle as he was opening it, knocking him to the floor and dragging him back. A look back confirmed his worst fears: a familiar pale purple aura had taken his ankle. His unclipped claws made deep groves on the floor as he scrabbled for a handhold while simultaneously kicking at the magic. His flailing arms landed on the doorknob and he clung to it, desperately pulling against Twilight Sparkle's magic. He felt something building up inside of him and felt a sudden surge of energy. Discord instinctively pointed a talon at her and a bolt of his own magic shot out, taking the young alicorn by surprise and the magic releasing. The bolt hit the wall above her head, multicolored singing mushrooms sprouting.

The release of magic left Discord in a heavy daze, his vision was nearly black and dancing with stars, his body feeling like it had been put through a wringer. It took all his strength to force himself up and out of the door. His weak legs gave out and he fell down the porch stairs, landing on his right hand, which sent several white hot barbs of pain shooting up his wrist and through his arm. Discord couldn't help but scream and he could practically feel the pain pulsing in his head as his tired brain struggled to process it. Crawling on his elbows and knees as fast as possible, Discord had barely made it to the town center when he sank to the muddy road. A wave of nausea overtook him and he lifted himself just enough to spill the contents of his stomach before collapsing again, not caring that he was laying in a puddle of vomit and chunks of partially digested food. He was just so tired… so damn tired… he just wanted to go to sleep and never wake up…

As Discord went limp, already drifting off, he became acutely aware of every single point of pain in his body; the throbbing pain in his head, the burning pain both of his legs, the stinging in his rear, the pain in his eye and snout, his sore throat, the dawning realization of the screaming pain in his ankle, hand, and wings that his adrenaline must've been blocking up until that point. The cough was worse, raspy, hard, and lasting for what felt like hours. His lungs felt like they were filled with liquid lead and his stomach felt like it was eating itself.

Discord's eyes slid shut. A little nap wouldn't hurt…

-.-.-

 **Third Person POV**

They had been searching all night and were about to give up when a letter came from princess Twilight Sparkle. It said that Discord had snuck into her house and hid there for the night until Spike found him. He had fled as soon as he was found, with Twilight Sparkle trying to subdue him, only for Discord to attack her and escape. It was mentioned that it looked like he was injured and tired. Sunrise Metal and three other guards were at the library soon after, investigating the scene, sending a pair of guards to follow the footprints Discord had left. They had their guard up. If what Twilight Sparkle had said about Discord being hurt was true, then they were dealing with an injured creature backed into a corner. Creatures in this state were willing to do anything to survive.

The first thing Sunrise Metal noticed were the deep scratches on the floor and walls.

"Well, you see officer, I'd tried to grab his whole body, but only managed to get his ankle. He fell over and was clawing around as he struggled." Twilight Sparkle explained while comforting a still shaken Spike.

"Where was he hiding?" Sunrise Metal asked.

"In the basement. I'd sent Spike here down to turn on the heat. He saw Discord, screamed, and got me." Spike could only nod in confirmation.

"Mind if we take a look?"

"Not at all." Twilight Sparkle gestured to the still open trapdoor.

She couldn't believe what was happening. Discord was back! She'd thought for nearly a year that Tirek had killed him, but she could tell whatever it was that Tirek did to Discord, it wasn't good. The look of fear and desperation on his face was one she'd never seen on him before. He didn't even seem to hear what she'd been yelling.

 _"Discord, stop! Your legs—!"_

 _"Discord, I'm not mad at you!"_

 _"Hold still! You're going to hurt yourself!"_

Twilight Sparkle couldn't help but feel guilty. That this was her fault. That if she had acted quicker, she could've saved Discord from whatever had happened to him before her magic was drained. Twilight Sparkle pressed her face into her hooves, fighting back tears. Around her neck, she could feel the weight of the amulet Discord had thrown to her just before Tirek took him away around her neck.

-.-.-

It was the blood that hit the guards the hardest. There was a pool of it, now dried into a brown crust, an arrow with the same crust coating the arrowhead and some of the shaft on the other side of the room.

 _Discord was bleeding._

There was also an empty can of spaghetti-O's that had been licked clean and a few corncake crumbs on the floor. Sunrise Metal thought back to the first house Discord had been seen in. He'd been eating the owners' crackers when he'd been caught.

 _He must've been very hungry…_ Sunrise Metal pondered. _What's going on? This isn't like him at all. By now, the town should be in chaos, but it's not. Discord is running through town, sneaking into houses to steal food and sleep in cellars._

As he ascended the stairs, one of the guards burst in. "We found him!"


	5. Chapter 5 – Hospital

**I'm super psyched rn, I got my first review and I'm so happy! ^_^ Thanks Alara Rogers!**

Officer Steel Arrow stood over the sprawled out form on the ground. This… This was nothing that he had expected. He'd been expecting a fight. This was Discord after all. But instead, he'd found the draconequus laying passed out in the town square, fur unkempt, dirty, and matted in blood, vomit, and mud, his reptil leg covered in blood, a towel wrapped tight around it in what looked like an improvised bandage. His left eye was bruised and swollen almost shut, it looked like he'd had more than one bloody snout recently, and he was definitely thinner than anything that could be considered healthy, emaciated enough for the officers to be able to count his ribs. His back was swollen and covered in angry red lashes and the thigh of his horse's leg had a deep gash. He looked like he'd been severely beaten and starved, cuts and scars running up his arms and legs. The worst part though was his ankle, wings, and hand. The ankle of his horse's leg had been twisted nearly at a 180 degree ankle, obviously broken, his lion's paw was shattered, bones poking out like pins in a pincushion, both had swollen nearly double their normal sizes, and his wings hung loosely from his back, twisted and broken. His open wounds were inflamed and red, red streaks surrounding them, oozing blood and yellow-green foul-smelling pus, signaling infection. He looked like he'd been through hell.

Sunrise Metal galloped over. "I'm here! Did he fight? Is—" he stopped short upon seeing the unconscious chimera. "Oh…" he reached a hoof over, poking him. "Is he… you know…"

Steel Arrow shook his head. "No. He's breathing."

Grunting, the pair hefted Discord onto their backs while trying to be as gentle as possible, not wanting to injure the creature any more than he already was, trotting over to the waiting chariot. They were to bring him straight to Canterlot.

-.-.-

 **Discord's POV**

Discord didn't know how long he'd been unconscious. All he knew was that he'd jerked back into consciousness, semi-aware and delirious, to feel himself being carried somewhere. Sure that Tirek had found him while he'd been asleep, Discord began thrashing, managing to fall out of his captor's grasp, hitting the dirt with a thud, sending pain shooting through his body. Soon, he was swarmed with figures that he couldn't make out through his blurry vision who were trying to hold him down. This only made him fight them harder, which made everything hurt even more and it was getting harder and harder to breathe. His head hurt even more now and it felt like someone was pumping air into his skull, building up the pressure.

"We need to get him to the hospital!"

"Call in a chariot!"

"Should we restrain him to the gurney?"

The voices surrounding him weren't familiar, confusing him even more, and only made the pain worse. Discord tried to move, to speak, to protest, but he couldn't. It hurt too much. There was sudden movement that made his head reel and stomach churn (not that it had much to throw up). Discord could feel himself being lifted up and placed on something. From the feel of it, the side railings he could feel his good wrist being handcuffed to, and the rolling motion he felt, it felt like a gurney.

"Get him in the chariot! Don't let him fall off the edge!"

As he was rolled into a simple steel chariot used by police officers, he felt himself fading and welcomed the respite.

-.-.-

Discord woke up several times during the ride. Every time, the horn of a unicorn was quick to send him back into oblivion. It was always cold, but he didn't understand why. At one point, he woke up, still unable to attain full consciousness, and heard them talking again. It was so cold… where had they taken him that was this cold?

"Careful when you unload him." the gurney dipped, then hit solid ground. Shouts, lights, running hooves.

Another unfamiliar voice, a male. "Is he stable?"

A female voice spoke up. "Barely. He appears to be in distress, likely exhaustion and infection. He was mumbling about being too cold and shivering earlier, but if anything, his body temperature is too high. He's spiking a fever." hooves prodded his chest, the pain of his ribs being pressed down on almost making him pass out again and he burst into a fit of coughs that made it even worse. "His ribs feel broken." he coughed again, this time something leaking out of his mouth.

"Ah hay…" the male muttered before he began yelling. "Prep the OR! Yellow Rock, we need a blood transfusion! Lunar Love, get a ventilator! He needs oxygen!"

He was lifted onto a hard metal surface. Needles were poking him, something being pushed into his mouth and down his throat. Discord felt like he was going to vomit as he clenched his good fist weakly, beginning to jerk his head from side to side and weakly attempting to pull out the tubes and wires. Several hooves held his arms down while the wires were hastily reconnected. As his unfocused eyes slid open, Discord felt another prick in his arm and he was fading again, but this time he fought. He didn't want to go back under. What were they doing to him? He barely managed a protesting moan before being dragged under.

-.-.-

Discord didn't know where he was, only that it was warm and that thing was still down his throat. The few times he'd woken up, he wanted to move his arms so he could pull it out, but his mind was too addled and filled with fog to do more than force his eyes open for a few seconds. His vision was always blurry and he'd soon grow tired again, eyes closing as he fell back under.

-.-.-

Discord woke up, mind a little more clear, to find that the tube down his throat was gone. Opening his eyes slightly, Discord was greeted with a harsh, blinding light and snapped his eyes shut, grimacing at the new headache. It was warm and bright with a soft humming and beeping in the air. Taking a few deep breaths, Discord cracked his eyes open again, keeping them open this time, glowing yellow and red orbs darting around.

 _Where am I? Am I dead? Is that the Light?_

Discord struggled to open his eyes wider, beginning to panic slightly. The last thing he could remember was laying on a metal table with needles poking him and something being pushed down his throat. Had they killed him? Was everything just a dream? Where was he?!

Discord noticed how comfortable he felt; it felt like he was lying on something soft and there was something warm wrapped around him. Sighing softly, Discord tried to turn his head away from the bright light, but he felt extremely weak, like his bones had been turned to Jell-O. As his eyes adjusted, his vision began to focus, seeing a white tile ceiling with fluorescent lights bolted to them, which definitely explained the light and humming. Tilting his head, Discord saw that the bed he was laying on was surrounded by a thin curtain mounted on the ceiling, the nightstand holding a digital clock, plastic pitcher of water, a glass, and trays with metal instruments.

Discord tried to flex his sore limbs, which felt stiff, like they had been carved out of wood. As he shifted, Discord felt the warmth surrounding him tugging gently, as if tucked around him. It almost felt like… a blanket. It was then that Discord recognized what he was laying on: a bed. Forcing his eyes open more, Discord saw more equipment surrounding his bed: a heart monitor, the cords running to a few electrodes on his chest and a blood pressure cuff around his arm, a now unplugged oxygen tank with a used intubation tube laying on it, and IV stands.

 _A hospital? Does that mean that I'm alive?_

Discord tried to sit up, but fell back, practically collapsing from the pain. While his body still ached, he actually felt mostly decent, the cough and cold mostly gone and he could already tell that he'd been given a much needed wash. Reaching up a bandaged hand, Discord felt his chest and found that he was wearing a thin mint green hospital gown. Looking down, he saw that the cuts on his body had been stitched and his other injuries bandaged, hand and ankle in casts, a shift of his body and crane of his neck confirming that his wings had been put back in their sockets and splinted.

It was then Discord heard quiet voices outside the door, which opened soon after.


	6. Chapter 6 – Reunion

Princess Celestia had arrived at the Canterlot Hospital in chariot once she got word about Discord. Stepping into the building, a nurse led Celestia to a door guarded by two armored stallions.

"He's in here." the nurse said. "He should be awake by now. We had to keep him in a medically induced coma for the past five days."

Celestia's eyes widened. "Five days?! Why am I only being informed now?!"

The nurse cringed. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but we had to keep him asleep because he was too frantic when he was first brought in. We didn't want to run the risk of him getting upset and pulling out the tubes. Our supervisor and the police force agreed to wait telling you about what happened until he was calm enough to be questioned."

Sighing, Celestia relented and stepped into the hospital room, barely able to contain a gasp at the sight of her once enemy. Discord lifted his head to look at her with bleary eyes, which widened in recognition upon seeing her.

"Discord…" Celestia said in her gentlest voice as she slowly approached the bed. "Where have you been?"

There was a long, uncomfortable silence before responding in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. "In the Everfree Forest…" he paused. "Well, I was there for the last few weeks… he moved me a lot…"

"Who is he?" Celestia asked carefully, noting his nervous demeanor.

Discord paused for several more long seconds before he said a single name, as if the mere act of speaking said name would make him appear. "Tirek…"

"Tirek," Celestia repeated, eyes wide. "What happened, Discord?"

Discord shifted in the bed. "Twilight Sparkle wanted him to release me too, but he was so sure that he'd be victorious that he decided to keep me, despite what she said. Naturally, when Twilight Sparkle was able to drain some of his magic, he blamed it on me. The only part of this that he didn't do is my hand and leg. I had to break my hand to slip it out of the cuff. I broke my ankle and cut my leg by being a klutz falling down a hill and landing on a rock while running from him."

Celestia's eyes filled horror and her cheeks turned the slightest shade of green. She turned to a nearby nurse, nurse Sugar Glow, asking for a list of injures. Sugar Glow looked nervous, hesitantly giving her the list.

"Well, along with bruises and lacerations, Discord is severely malnourished and has suffered broken ribs, one of which had been pressing against one of his lungs and beginning to puncture it, so we had to put him on a respirator while he was asleep. His wings were also dislocated and broken in several places, his ankle had been completely snapped, his hand shattered in several places, the bones seemingly crushed. There were bones that had been broken but healed over time, said breaks mostly concentrated in his legs, wings, and torso. When he was first brought in, he displayed several symptoms of being concussed and we found evidence indicating several blows deliberately aimed at his head. There were whip lashings on his back, scrapes to his knees and shins, a burn on his left inner arm, burns on his torso seemingly from electrical sources, and his wrists and ankles showed sings of being rope burned." Sugar Glow sucked in a deep breath, preparing herself for the next part. The part she'd been holding back on saying on purpose.

"Princess… it appears that whoever did this… wasn't satisfied with just physical assault. There is excessive scarring and tearing around his rectum along with bruising around his mouth, suggesting repeated and violent sexual abuse. Most of his injuries were been infected by the time he was found and he had developed a case of mild double pneumonia, likely due to a combination of his immune system being weakened from lack of nutrients along with poor living conditions. The infections and pneumonia have mostly cleared up during the five days that Discord had been asleep with the help of medicine."

Silence. Shocked, utter silence. Celestia could hardly believe her ears, the green growing as she was overcome with nausea. Celestia was horrified, looking between the nurse and Discord. Finally, her eyes narrowed in fury.

"Discord, do you know where he was last?"

"When I got to the street, he knew that he couldn't risk being seen and went back into Everfree. He might still be there." Discord suddenly looked more uneasy. "Celestia… he won't let me go that easily… he's going to try to find me…"

"I won't let that happen," Celestia said in a serious voice, calling in a couple of guards to watch over Discord.

-.-.-

The Mane Six were at the hospital as soon as possible when they got the letter from Celestia. Discord had been found, but he was hurt. Celestia didn't go into much detail other than that Tirek had done something horrible to him. The girls were led to Discord's room and collective gasps rose at the sight of him, with even Rainbow Dash letting one out. Fluttershy rushed to his side, tears flowing down her face.

"Discord…?" she whispered.

Discord jerked at her voice, looking at her. He looked happy to see her. "Fluttershy?"

"Oh Discord…" she said softly, offering a hoof to Discord, which he took in his good hand, sighing softly. Fluttershy smiled tearfully at the small gesture and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

Discord looked at the others. "They came too…?" he almost sounded disbelieving. He had been sure that they hated him for what he'd done.

Fluttershy looked back to her other friends. "Of course they did." she said with a surprising amount of conviction in her voice.

Applejack smiled slightly before speaking up. "She's right. We may not always get along but that don't mean we won't be there for our friend."

This statement made Discord smile, finally feeling warm and happy…

Rainbow Dash, seeming to loose her patience, spoke up. "Enough of this lovey-dovey crap! Just tell me whose flank I need to kick!" she kicked a leg for emphasis.

"Celestia said it was Tirek." Twilight Sparkle said softly, Discord nodding in affirmative.

Rainbow Dash's eyes widened slightly, but she simply snarled. "Well, I'm still gonna kick his ass!" she yelled, with only slightly less enthusiasm than before.

They stayed with him for the rest of the day, gathered around the bed almost protectively. When nurse Solar Comet came in to announce that visiting hours were over, the girls began to reluctantly leave.

Fluttershy gave Discord a sad look. "Oh, please let me stay with him." she pleaded. "I'm just so happy to see him again and I don't want to leave him alone."

Solar Comet paused. "We do allow visitors to stay overnight for friends and loved ones, so I guess it's alright." upon seeing the girls perk up, he sighed. "Only one can stay overnight. It's policy."

Twilight Sparkle stepped forward. "It's alright. We understand." she looked at Fluttershy. "You should stay. You're closest with Discord."

"Thank you…" Fluttershy said, her attention turning back to Discord.

Fluttershy was shown the sleeper sofa and where the blankets and pillows were kept, then the two were left alone. Fluttershy gently placed a hoof on Discord's arm, almost letting out one of her trademark squeaks when he jumped. The bandages slid away a little, revealing red, burned flesh, running from his elbow to his palm. Fluttershy gasped softly at the horrible sight.

"Did he do that?" she asked quietly, already knowing the answer.

Discord nodded. "I wouldn't let him get on top of me that time. I kept fighting."

"Get on top of you…?" Fluttershy was silent, confused, then it dawned on her and she nearly burst into tears at the thought. "Oh Discord…" she repeated.

Fluttershy didn't want to hear about the horrors Discord had been forced to endure for an entire year. The scars and improperly healed bones were a testament to the tortures the spirit had suffered. Fluttershy rested her head on the bed, deciding to simply lay with him and keep him company, not wanting to force her friend to relive what he had been through. When Sugar Glow came in to change Discord's bandages, Fluttershy tried not to look too closely at the seemingly countless scars, some old and healed, others still red, swollen, and scabbed over, looking only days old.

Fluttershy didn't go to the sofa. She fell asleep still sitting in the chair, head resting on Discord's blankets. As she began to doze, she felt an arm rest over her, the cast adding to the weight.


	7. Chapter 7 – Search and Close Call

**A/N: Here's the new chapter! Enjoy!**

 **The Next Day**

Celestia and her guards stood at the edge of the Everfree, preparing for their sweep of said forest. As the final preparations were set, Rainbow Dash suddenly flew over, looking as if she'd shot all the way from Canterlot, panting like an old dog.

" _Wait_! *gasp* I'm… coming… too…" Rainbow Dash caught her breath. "Look, I made a promise that if I ever saw that asshole again, I would kick his flank!"

Celestia, although surprised, regained her composure and responded in an even tone. "Well, while I usually would not allow a citizen to accompany us, you and your friends have all proven yourselves many times and I also wouldn't mind to see the bastard getting his flank kicked as you put it."

At this, Rainbow Dash smirked, following Celestia and the guards into the vast forest.

-.-.-

It had been two hours, no luck, when Rainbow Dash, who had flown up to get a better view, pointed into the distance. "I see a house!"

Celestia nodded up at her. "Alright, plant your hooves back on the ground. If that is the house and he's still there, we'll want the element of surprise."

Rainbow Dash grounded herself and they quickly approached the house, slowing down as they neared. Upon closer inspection, they saw that it was a dark cabin, the red door hanging open, wind banging it against the wall. There were a pair of cellar doors off to the side of the house, a chain and padlock discarded nearby. Celestia could picture the chain being wrapped around the door handles, the padlock locking them in place. The guards silently surrounded the house, Celestia and Rainbow Dash approaching the door, treading slowly in case Tirek was in fact still there.

As they stepped inside, it quickly became clear that no one was inside. All rooms were empty, the bed still messy, the food on the table beginning to rot, as if Tirek had up and left out of the blue. When Celestia peeked out the back door, she spotted Tirek's footprints leading to the cellar. Celestia and Rainbow Dash followed the footsteps, pulling on the handles. While the doors weren't locked, they were thick and didn't give way for a couple of seconds before finally swinging open with a loud groan.

What laid beneath was a dank stone brick cellar with a dirt floor, almost reminiscent of a dungeon. A brick had been pried loose from the wall, laying not far from the wooden stairs leading down to the tomb-like prison. A pair of handcuffs with a chain about two feet long hung from a metal ring in one corner, a brick sized hole in the wall not far away. Celestia couldn't help but remember Discord telling her how he'd had to break his hand to escape his restraints and her eyes wandered to the brick.

"Ugh, _gross_!" Rainbow Dash cried out, looking ready to puke.

A metal bucket lay on its side, brown waste and a crusted substance that smelled strongly of ammonia spilling out.

"Oh my God…" Celestia said, almost gagging herself as she realized that this must've been Discord's toilet.

"Jeez, you'd think the guy would at least empty it before leaving!"

"Unless he never planned on coming back when he first left to begin with…" Celestia muttered as her horn lit up, clearing up the mess. The air unfortunately wasn't freshened, as there was probably no spell to fix such a stench in a second. Celestia closed her eyes, took a deep breath, willing herself to calm down, before opening them. "He's not here." her eyes narrowed with grim determination. "But we'll find him."

-.-.-

 **That Night**

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but feel dejected as she landed in Canterlot. She's felt hopeful when she's seen the house, hopeful that she could beat the hay out of that monster for what he'd done. Hopeful that things would finally return to normal. But they'd been too late. Tirek had escaped, and Rainbow Dash couldn't help but feel angry. He didn't _deserve_ to be out there. It was almost like he was getting away with what he'd done, which was _unacceptable_.

Gritting her teeth, Rainbow Dash turned to a tree, driving one of her forehooves into it with a growl. She punched the bark again and again until she was forced to stop from the pain. Staring down at her now scraped and swollen hoof, Rainbow Dash sighed, eyeing the hospital. She wouldn't be able to be in the room, but she's at least wait in the lobby. She had a feeling in her gut that prevented her from walking away, so she trotted inside. If she was going to spend the night, she may as well get a snack from the cafeteria. She'd heard that they had given out free cake for one of the doctor's birthdays. Maybe there were some leftovers.

Shortly after Rainbow Dash left, a large, looming figure with glowing yellow eyes emerged and began to approach…

-.-.-

Fluttershy was fast asleep on the sleeper sofa, cuddled up under the blanket. Discord, however, had not been able to fall asleep as easily. He'd had a hard time falling asleep for months (even though sleep had been one of his few sanctuaries from Tirek), and now was no different. He used his good hand to tug at his blankets, trying to pull them free from where they'd been tucked under the mattress, but to no avail. Discord absentmindedly kicked at the footboard, managing to knock off the clipboard hanging from it, which landed with a soft clatter. Fluttershy's only reaction was to roll over with a quiet groan.

Discord stopped all movements when he heard footsteps, ears pointing up and rotating slowly, trying to pick up the noise. Stomach dropping when the footsteps grew closer, Discord sat up and looked around, eventually grabbing one of the ice cubes from the pitcher, chucking it in Fluttershy's direction. He half-expected for it to either miss or not sail far enough, but the small, half melted cube bounced off Fluttershy's head, water spraying across her mane. She woke with a start.

"Eek! D-Discord, why—?" when she saw Discord's wide eyes and alert ears, she listened, also hearing the footsteps. "Oh… Discord…" she swallowed her own fear. She needed to be strong… for Discord. "It's probably just a nurse." a gulp. "A really big nurse…"

"But, Fluttershy…" Discord started.

"D-Don't worry. You try to go to sleep. I… I'll keep watch, okay?"

Discord eyed the door cautiously, slowly laying down, trying to get comfortable. Maybe… she was right… Maybe he was being too paranoid. As he resumed trying to force himself to go to sleep, he heard the footsteps pause outside the room and his muscles seemed to all screw up.

 _Go away… go away…_ Discord thought.

The doorknob began to turn and Fluttershy got off of the sofa with a quiet gasp. A familiar red hand pushed open the door…

-.-.-

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but lick up the remaining cake crumbs. Although it had been a little stiff from being left out, the cake had been delicious. Smacking her lips, Rainbow Dash left the cafeteria after taking care of her dishes. She suddenly heard yelling and paused, frowning.

 _Is that Discord?_

Rainbow Dash began to gallop.

-.-.-

Fluttershy had stood herself firmly in front of Discord's bed, standing as tall as she could while giving Tirek the Stare. This only seemed to amuse the centaur that now stood in the room, who laughed a deep, menacing laugh that could make mountains crumble.

"Do you really think that a simple glare from a cowardly little filly will make me tremble?" a sneer. "Step aside," Tirek ordered, voice now filled with malice.

Fluttershy looked offended, snorting and scraping the floor with her hoof. "I will not!" she said, which came out sounding a lot braver than she felt. "I won't let you hurt Discord again!"

"How do you expect to stop me. You're little friends aren't here to help you~" Tirek peered at Discord, who had scooted back in his bed until his back was pressed against the wall, ears pinned back against his head. "I've been looking for you, you little bitch. And I see you've eaten."

Discord clenched his fist. He hated it when Tirek called him that, but there had never been anything he could do about it. But now… he still felt helpless… but he wouldn't let Tirek take him without a fight. The fire in his heart was truly ignited when he saw Tirek raise his hand, ready to hit Fluttershy away from the bed.

" _DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER, YOU BASTARD_!"

The words ripped out of Discord's mouth, ringing in the air as he snatched up his glass of water, cracking it with all his strength against Tirek's face, shattering and drawing blood.

"Oh f**k!" Tirek cried out, stumbling back as he clutched at his bleeding face.

Discord was actually surprised to hear that word. He'd seldom heard any of the ponies swear and _he_ didn't swear (he was almost disappointed on himself when he realized this). Sure, he'd heard Tirek swear plenty of times, but he'd only heard the F word once before, from Applejack (it was a long story).

Discord was pulled from his inner thoughts when Tirek glared at him with fire in his eyes. Discord gulped, then did the next logical thing.

" _Guards_!"

Tirek cursed under his breath, turning and bolting out of the room. Halfway down the hall, he tripped over something, crashing to the floor with a loud "shit!". As he got to his hooves, Tirek saw that it had been a pony he'd tripped over. Not just any pony, but a familiar, cyan rainbow patterned pony. Cursing again, Tirek continued to run. No. He could not deal with this.

Why couldn't things just go his way for once?!

Rainbow Dash scrambled up from the floor, shaking her head. Looking over her shoulder, she finally saw a running Tirek.

 _This can't be good. What's_ he _doing here?!_ she thought as she sprinted after him.

Rainbow Dash caught up with Tirek quick, tackling him from behind with all her might and they fell to the floor.

"Ugh! Get off!" Tirek yelled.

Rainbow Dash continued to try and hold him down, waiting for the guards to help. With a growl, Tirek swung an elbow straight into Rainbow Dash's chest in an attempt to throw her off and she grunted, temporarily losing her grip on the much bigger male. Tirek took this opportunity to kick her away from him and began to stand. Rainbow Dash quickly picked herself up, not willing to let Tirek escape. Not this time. She charged at him, aiming for his gut.

Tirek hit her away. "Get away from me, you pathetic foal!" he shouted, sounding like he was getting pissed off.

Not willing to go down, Rainbow Dash jumped up, using her wings to propell her towards him as she landed a hard kick straight into his stomach. Tirek stumbled back into the wall, coughing as he clutched his stomach and tried not throw up, angrily swinging a hand at Rainbow Dash, who barely managed to dodge the attack, stumbling but quickly regaining her footing. _Where the hell are the guards?!_ she thought as swiped a leg under him, managing to catch a leg. Tirek stumbled, almost tripping. Fed up, he glared at Rainbow Dash, and for some reason decided to taunt her.

"Trying to defend your little friend?" he sneered.

"Of course I am, you prick!" Rainbow Dash snarled. "You will never touch him again, and when I'm done with you, the doctor won't know which side to stitch that ugly mug of yours back on!" she yelled.

"His screams were music to my ears, and I can hardly wait to hear them again." Tirek said with a snicker, then swung a leg at her in a hard kick.

Rainbow Dash grunted upon impact, yet held her ground, despite the pain blossoming in her ribs. Tirek aimed another kick at her, then turned to continue his flight as he heard the approaching guards. Rainbow Dash was quick with her movements, kicking out at Tirek's legs and tripping him before he could escape, who cursed, then looked at a window. They were on the second floor of the hospital, but he was sure that he could make it without serious injury. Tirek punched through the window, cutting his knuckles in the process, just at the guards burst in. The guards' actions were immediate as they rushed to tackle Tirek, a unicorn in the group summoning ropes to bind him until something more permanent could be acquired. They shot toward the centaur like snakes, beginning to coil around him as he thrashed against them and the guards made a circle around Tirek, leaving no opening for escape except the window behind him.

Tirek tried to sit up, still fighting to keep the ropes from tightening, glaring at the guards, but then he smirked. His eyes glowed brightly and a ball of fire began to form and grow between his horns. Knowing his intentions, the guards closest tried to rush Tirek, but he gathered the fireball, now glowing and seemingly just as hot as the sun, in his hand and hurled it at them. The guards scrambled to get away from the roaring flames, but one of them was caught directly in its path and anouther three were singed. Screams rang through the halls as the fireball exploded against a wall, which caught on fire. The ropes attempting to bind Tirek fell limp as the unicorn controlling them had shifted all of her attention to help put out the fire. The fire alarm screeched and the sprinklers turned on, spraying slimy water everywhere.

As the smoke slowly cleared, the guards looked around vehemently for Tirek, ready to avenge their fallen comrades, when they heard a dull thud outside and saw the centaur running from the hospital, limping on a seemingly injured leg. The uninjured guards ran, ready to catch up with Tirek and give chase.

Rainbow Dash stood on shaky legs, barely able to believe what had just happened. She looked at the injured guards. The three that had been grazed were alright, the sprinklers and them rolling around having put them out, but the one that had been hit head on… he was laying motionless on the floor in a small pool of still boiling blood, smoking and smelling of burnt flesh. His skin had been charred black, red, and raw, skin peeling to expose muscle and bone, most of his blood having been evaporated. Rainbow Dash swayed, suddenly feeling nauseous. Gagging, she threw up all over the floor, then fainted.

 **Equestria Chronicle**

 **DEADLY HOSPITAL ATTACK**

 _At midnight last night in the Canterlot Hospital, Tirek was reported to have broken in and made his way to the trauma ward, where local hero Rainbow Dash and guards posted, led by Chief Colt Justice, attempted to apprehend him. Tirek used a fireball to attack the guards, killing one guard and injuring three guards and nine patients. It is believed that Tirek had broken in to recapture Discord, who was found injured only two days prior, claiming that it was Tirek who had hurt him._


	8. Chapter 8 – Aftermath

_**Hey guys. I posted this chapter, but when I read reviews, one said that the chapter was unreadable because of text blocks. Hopefully, I fixed it. Enjoy!**_

Princess Celestia was beside herself when she heard the news. As she stepped into one of the many meeting rooms in her palace, her angry eyes focused on a group of very sheepish guards. Taking a slow breath to compose herself, Celestia began speaking in a slow, steady voice.

"Why don't you explain to me what happened. From the beginning, please."

Officer Steel Stud gulped, able to sense the princess's anger from across the room. "Your Highness, I swear, we only left for a minute—"

This was the wrong thing to say, and Celestia's mane suddenly became aflame as she began to yell. "You shouldn't have even left for a second! After everything you saw, you should've known to stay with Discord 24/7! What were you thinking?! Are you stupid?! Have you got a brain at all?!"

"Your Highness—!"

"No! You don't have an excuse! Because of your negligence, Discord could have… Tirek…" Celestia sucked in a breath, not wanting to think about that. "All of you. You're fired."

Officer Yellow Ace spoke up this time. "B-But, Your Majesty—!"

"No buts! This is inexcusable! You're lucky I don't have you charged with criminal negligence! Now get out, and leave your badges on the table!"

Heads hung low, the officers dropped their badges on the table and left.

-.-.-

Rainbow Dash woke up in her own hospital bed, torso bandaged. Shaking her head, she tapped the call button with her hoof, a white haired mare walking in shortly after, shiny name tag reading Cherry Blossom, curly pale pink mane bobbing gently and bright red eyes sparkling. Cherries adorned her flanks.

"Oh, good morning Miss Dash. How are you feeling?" she hummed in a sing-song voice.

"Uh, fine. My chest hurts," Rainbow Dash replied, still gathering the memories of the night before.

"Well, that's to be expected. You have a broken rib."

"Nurse, last night…"

Cherry Blossom rested a hoof on her shoulder. "Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Your friend, the draconequus. He's alright."

Rainbow Dash nodded with a small sigh, relieved. "The fire though. What happened? I saw one of the guards. He was hurt badly! Is he okay?" the nurse's silence was the only answer she needed and Rainbow Dash fought back tears. "Tirek… did they at least…" Cherry Blossom shook her head solemnly.

Gritting her teeth, Rainbow Dash shot out of the room in a rainbow colored blur, making Cherry Blossom shriek in surprise.

She'd never felt more useless in her life.

-.-.-

Discord clutched his blankets tightly as Fluttershy smoothed his fur gently. He'd been told that he'd be getting new guards, but he was still on edge. Tirek knew where he was, and they hadn't caught him. He'd been moved to a different room in a more secure part of the hospital (according to Sugar Glow, it was mostly used for celebrities to keep them away from paparazzi, but they had an occasional case like his come up). Only approved visitors were allowed to enter (such as the princesses or, in his case, the girls) and there were five guards per patient.

Twilight Sparkle burst into the room, eyes wide and mane a mess. "I got here as soon as I saw the paper!" she gasped out and Discord was left to wonder if she'd run all the way there. "Fluttershy, is Discord okay? Is he—?"

"Twilight Sparkle, he's fine." Fluttershy murmured. "He's really shaken up though." she gave her a small smile. "He helped me."

"I cracked him across the face with a glass cup…" Discord mumbled, glancing down at the new bandaids on his hand. He couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "I've been waiting a little over a year to do something like that…"

Twilight Sparkle, eager to change the subject, used her magic to open her saddlebag. "Pinkie Pie wanted me to give this to you. She would've brought it herself, but the Cakes needed her to work today." she had Discord's attention as she pulled out a paper bag with the Sugarcube Corner logo on it, setting it on the nightstand. Picking it up, Discord looked inside, seeing a large chocolate cupcake with a copious amount of icing and multicolored sprinkles. Seeing his smile, Twilight Sparkle said "I guess you like it?"

Discord nodded, pulling it out. "I see she didn't skimp out on the sprinkles. Not that I'm complaining." he commented, surprised at the small pile on the icing.

Twilight Sparkle chuckled. "Yeah. She said that the cap fell off while she was pouring them, but I think she just had a heavy hoof." half of the cupcake already in his mouth, Discord just shrugged. "She's been talking about throwing you a huge party once the doctors say you can leave, and you know Pinkie Pie."

Discord may have had more of a reaction to the party comment, but his mind couldn't stop nagging at something from the night before. "Twilight… your friend, Rainbow Dash… is she…?"

"Oh, she's… she's fine. Don't worry about her." Twilight Sparkle assured.

-.-.-

Applejack hefted a couple of hay bales on her back, carrying it to the field, passing her brother along the way, who was plowing the cornfield.

"Hey, big sis, can I play with my friends?" Applebloom asked as Applejack reentered the barn.

Applejack looked down at her sister thoughtfully. "Did ya do all your chores?"

Applebloom nodded earnestly. "Yeah! Ah did all of 'em!"

"All of 'em?"

"Promise!"

"Alright then, but ah want you to be back by dinner, okay?" Applejack said, ruffling her little sister's mane. "And if their parents say so, your little friends can come over for dinner."

Applebloom gave her a big smile. "Okay! Thanks sis!" she galloped off.

As Applejack left the barn with more hay, she nearly ran in Rainbow Dash, who had just landed. "Woah there Sugarcube! Ya scared the hay outta me!" when she saw the bandaged around Rainbow Dash's chest, she frowned. "What happened?"

Rainbow Dash blinked in surprise. "Haven't you read the newspaper?"

Applejack shook her head. "Nah. Been workin' the farm all day. Tell you what, you wait inside while ah put out the last of the hay, and we can chat."

"Sure…" Rainbow Dash mumbled, slowly walking to the house, passing Granny Smith, who was half asleep in her porch rocking chair, knitting on her lap.

After a short wait in the living room, Applejack came in, setting a kettle on the stove to brew tea. "What's on yer mind, sugarcube?"

"Well, yesterday… Tirek showed up. He wanted to hurt Discord."

Applejack's head popped out from around the corner. "Oh ma Celestia! What happened?!"

"I fought him off. I was hoping that he would be caught, but… he got away. He threw a fireball and jumped out a window. Ponies got burned and one guard was killed."

Applejack walked into the room. "What are ya gettin' at Sugarcube?"

"I don't know… it's just that… I feel like I should've been able to take him down. After everything he did, he shouldn't be out free. I've taken down a lot of monsters Applejack. Why couldn't I take down this one?"

"Look Sugarcube, I know what yer gettin' at here. You feel bad that you couldn't catch Tirek, and ah get that, but think of it this way: if it weren't for you, it would've been a lot worse. Tirek would've gotten Discord back and he probably woulda killed Fluttershy along with anypony else who got in his way. Discord's okay, right?"

Rainbow Dash nodded with a small smile. "Yeah. They put him in a more secure ward of the hospital, but they said we can still visit him."

"See? Some good still came out of what happened, and ah can guarantee you that even if it takes centuries, Tirek'll get what's coming to him times ten."

"Applejack, how can you be sure?"

"Trust me Sugarcube, justice will always find a way."


	9. Chapter 9 – The Plan

His leg throbbed like someone had just pushed a handful of pins through every pore of the limb. Grunting, Tirek probed his leg, feeling for a broken bone, despite how much it hurt. It didn't feel broken, but it still hurt like a bitch. He wouldn't be walking normally anytime soon, he'd definitely have a limp.

Lights shone in the distance and Tirek forced himself to his hooves, limping further into Everfree. He couldn't believe this was happening. That little shit just had to run in the first place, didn't he? He couldn't just stay in his cellar where he belonged and do as he was told, could he? It was because of that disobedient brat that Tirek was in this mess, a thought that made him want to kill somepony. This was all Discord's fault, not Tirek's, and he was determined to get back to the chimera he so loathed and make him pay.

-.-.-

Applebloom has heard her older sister talking to Big Macintosh what had been happening for the past few days as she was brushing her teeth. She sat in her room, thinking. She'd never really talked to Discord that much, but she knew that he hadn't deserved whatever that Tirek guy had done. It didn't make sense to her that he was still free though. The bad guys always got defeated by the brave cops or her sister and her friends, and Tirek was definitely a bad guy.

Applebloom wiggled our of her bed and trotted to the window, gazing out and into the ominous Everfree visible, and the seeds of a plan began to hatch.

-.-.-

 _The Next Morning | CMC Clubhouse_

"You want to go into Everfree?" Sweetie Belle asked, shocked.

"Yeah, ah do!" Applebloom said confidently. "Maybe we can go find that nasty Tirek guy ourselves!"

"But Applebloom, he sounds dangerous," Scootaloo protested. "Didn't you read the _Equestria Chronicle_?"

"You read the newspaper?"

"Well, I usually only go in for the comics, but I'll sometimes read the headline if it looks interesting. And yesterday's was a real eye catcher. You know why? Because a pony died!"

"D-Died?!" Sweetie Belle squeaked.

" _Died_!"

"And he wasn't caught! That ain't fair! Ponies who hurt other ponies shouldn't get away with it!"

"I don't think Tirek is a pony, and Discord definitely isn't." Scootaloo drawled.

Applebloom stamped a hoof with an angry snort. "Ya know what ah meant! And it's not just Discord! Think of the pony that died! And any other ponies he's hurt!"

"What do you even want us to do? We're just kids Applebloom. I'm not strong enough to fly yet, Sweetie Belle can't do magic beyond a few sparks, and actual fighting is a lot tougher than farm work."

"Think about it," Sweetie Belle urged.

There was a long moment of silence, then Applebloom plopped down with a sad sigh. "It's just… ah don't want mah sister to be upset anymore. I didn't know why she was crying when she came back from the hospital that first night, but ah do now… and it's because of that Tirek guy and whatever he did…"

"My sister was crying too," Sweetie Belle said sadly. "She thought I was asleep, but I wasn't."

Scootaloo gazed out the treehouse window into Everfree, eyes troubled. "…If we do this, we're not going in unarmed."

Sweetie Belle gasped in shock. "Wait, what? What are you talking about? You're actually considering this?"

"I am now…"

"There are flares back at the farm. Ah can grab a few. Y'know, so we can set them off if there's an emergency. Those things light up the sky, even during the day." Applebloom offered.

"That's a good idea. I'll bring flashlights."

"Are we really doing this?!" Sweetie Belle squeaked.

"Yes," Applebloom and Scootaloo said simultaneously.


	10. Chapter 10 – In the Woods

Everfree was terrifying, even in broad daylight. The thick overhang of the trees cast shadows across the forest, sometimes so thick that you may as well be stumbling around at night. Applebloom held a flashlight, Scootaloo had a flare ready, and Sweetie Belle nervously held a pair of scissors she'd taken from her sister's boutique. Every little noise made them jump as they wandered down the path, beginning to realize what a terrible idea this was.

-.-.-

"Applebloom, it's time to wake up, sleepyhead!"

Applejack trotted down the hall, a small smile on her face as she entered her little sister's room, expecting to see the small filly fast asleep in her bed. What she saw instead was an empty bed and her heart began to pound.

"Applebloom?!" Applejack began to run around the house and the fields, shouting her sister's name. " _APPLEBLOOM_!"

As Applejack shot back into the house, panic written all over her face, the phone rang (one of those wall landlines from the 90's, probably the most technology the ponies need). Gasping in a breath, Applejack bucked the phone off the cradle, holding it to her ear. Before she could say anything, Rarity's hysterical voice began sobbing through the speaker.

"Applejack, do you know where Sweetie Belle is? I can't find her anywhere! Is she at your house? _Please tell me she's at your house_!"

"She's not here, neither is Applebloom," Applejack replied, beginning to feel truly terrified, fighting back tears. It wouldn't do any good if they were both hysterical. "Rarity, calm down. Think. Where would the girls go?"

Rarity sniffled. "D-Did you check their treehouse?"

Applejack almost smacked herself. Why hadn't she thought of that? "You know what sugarcube, ah didn't. You sit tight, ah'll go check, then call ya back."

Before Rarity could reply, Applejack hung up, then bolted out the door, running to the small treehouse in a cloud of dust. Please be there. Please be there. Applejack thought frantically, hoping that this was all just a big mistake, that the girls had ended up falling asleep and they'd all be able to laugh about it. Sucking in a breath, Applejack peeked into the clubhouse, resisting the urge to burst into tears when she saw nopony inside. She saw a sheet of paper on the floor and trotted over to it, gazing down at it in horror.

 _Operation Everfree!_

 _Look for Tirek in Everfree! Supplies needed:_

 _Flare gun_

 _Flares_

 _Flashlights_

 _Extra batteries_

 _A weapon (Sweetie Belle got scissors)_

On the verge of hysteria, Applejack ran back into the house, hitting the redial button on the phone (which had been hanging from the cord), Rarity picking up before the first ring was even done.

"Were they there?" she asked, sounding desperately hopeful.

Applejack's silence was more than enough of an answer for the fashionista, and the unicorn burst into wailing sobs once again.

"S-Sugarsube…" Applejack choked out. "I… I know where they are—"

"Thank Celestia—!"

"Rarity… they're in Everfree, looking for Tirek…"

A long pause, then Rarity let out a sudden shrill scream of horror right into the phone that made Applejack's poor ear feel like it was bleeding, then there was a dull thump, and Applejack knew that she'd fainted. And for once, she couldn't blame her.

-.-.-

"Guys…" Sweetie Belle whined timidly. "It's getting scary. Can we please go home?"

"Just a little longer," Scootaloo replied. "You can go back and wait in the treehouse if you're scared, Sweetie Belle. We won't blame you."

"I'm not walking back alone!" Sweetie Belle squeaked.

"It's okay Sugarcube. Just stick close to me." Applebloom said around the flashlight she held in her mouth, and Sweetie Belle took up the offer immediately.

There was a quiet shuffling of leaves to their right and Applebloom turned the flashlight beam in the direction of the noise, illuminating a huge red figure. Scootaloo yelped, accidentally pulling the trigger of the flare gun.

-.-.-

Out of all the things Tirek had expected to run into in Everfree, fillies was not one of them. He'd seen the nervous trio and was just waiting for the morons to get mauled by a bear when he ended up knocking over a small pile of leaves accumulated from the tree they'd been shed from. The girls turned toward him with fear in their eyes, then the Pegasus in the group pulled the trigger of a strange red gun. Tirek hadn't been sure what to expect of the device (he hadn't seen a gun in centuries, and never one that looked like this), which meant he was even more surprised to hear a loud pop! and see a bright red light flying towards him.

Before he could react, the flare hit Tirek in the face, just above his left eyebrow, shooting up his face, grinding a gouge in his skull and cutting a deep gash along his forehead that oozed blood and burned both the wound and the skin around it. Blinded and in horrible pain, Tirek howled and clutched his head as blood gushed into his eye, tinting his blurry vision red. The wound and the the charred flesh was completely numb and the flesh that hadn't been burned away had the texture of a mushy and flakey banana, feeling like the exposed nerve ends were being doused in acid when touched. Forcing his eyes open, he heard another pop, then an explosion above his head.

" _RUN_!"

-.-.-

Applejack had just assembled a search party to find the missing fillies when the flare exploded in the air, lighting up the sky. Not thinking twice, Applejack burst into a run, Rarity right behind her, both ponies shrieking their sisters' names.

-.-.-

A fireball whizzed over the girls' heads causing a small explosion in front of them. The fillies veered left, only to collide with the furious centaur's legs. Those demonic glowing yellow eyes glared down at them and Tirek raised a hand, preparing another fireball. Scootaloo suddenly felt angry, knowing his intentions. If she was gonna go down this way, she was going down with a fight to protect her friends. Her tiny wings stretched out and gave a mighty flap, propelling her into the air.

" _For Discord_!" she yelled, swinging her hips forward the buck Tirek in the mouth, sharp teeth cutting her small hooves.

Scootaloo would like me to tell you that she landed gracefully like the cyan Pegasus she idolized would, but this was her first time flying, so she didn't know how exactly to execute a proper landing, and so landed flat on her face, but she still got up, snorting as she readied herself to fight, standing protectively in front of her friends. Tirek spat out a broken tooth, ready to incinerate these pests once and for all. Sweetie Belle's horn glowed a bright blue, sparks flying. Small rocks were encased in the same aura, flying in Tirek's general direction.

" _Applebloom_!"

" _Sweetie Belle_!"

The girl's gasped upon hearing their sister's calls and Tirek took the opportunity to hurl another fireball. Screaming, the girls scattered, the fireball exploding and catching the forest on fire. Coughing, the girls ran for it, bolting in the general direction of their sister's voices as more of the foliage went up in flames. Applebloom suddenly felt teeth clamp onto the nape of her neck, lifting her. She screamed and struggled, only to realize that it was Applejack, immediately relaxing. Sweetie Belle was picked up in the same manner by Rarity, who also lifted Scootaloo with her magic, and the mares bolted, making it out of the forest.

As the girls were dropped, they were immediately coddled by their sisters.

"Oh ma Celestia Applebloom! Are ya hurt?! Are ya okay?!" Applejack asked breathlessly, checking her sister for any wounds.

"Ah'm fine." Applebloom replied, just as breathless and shaken.

Applejack sighed. "Good. Now…" she suddenly took Applebloom by the ear, beginning to drag her back to the farm. "What were you thinking?!"

As Sweetie Belle was also dragged away by her hysterical sister, Scootaloo sighed, glancing back into the flaming woods that several ponies were now trying to keep under control. Gulping, she galloped back into town, toward home.


	11. Chapter 11 – A Not So Peaceful Night

**A/N: I am SO sorry this took me so long! I've hit a rough patch (Depression is fun yaaaay!), but I'm on new meds, so fear not, for I have returned! I couldn't leave you guys hanging, now could I? Plus, it's Christmas, so along with my Home Alone story, consider this my Christmas present to you. Merry Christmas! Now, onward, my loyal readers! Also, I don't own MLP (I always freaking forget to do that!)**

Discord tossed and turned his hospital bed, clenching the sheets tight in his good hand. He had mixed feelings about sleep now. During that horrible year, he slept often because it was his only respite, but after a few months, his dreams often weren't pleasant. But he could at least wake up from a nightmare, but sometimes he was left wondering if he really wanted to…

Discord's heavy eyelids slid shut against his will, snapping open a few seconds later. He lifted his head to take another look around the hospital room. It was eerily silent, even the machines monitoring him seemed dulled, but the silence was shoved into the back of his mind when he made a frightening realization: Fluttershy was gone.

Gulping, he called out for her. "Fluttershy?" when silence was his only response, he gulped again, dread filling his stomach.

 _Thump… thump… thump…_ Were those footsteps? _Thump… thump… thump…_

Discord sat up slightly, wide eyes trained on the door, which slowly began to open…

 _Oh no… oh Celestia please no…_

Yellow eyes glared down at him, a large red hand reaching toward him…

Discord woke up with a start, finding himself curled and tangled in the now sweat-soaked sheets. Untangling himself, Discord day up, looking around frantically, allowing himself a breath of relief when he saw Fluttershy fast asleep on the sleeper sofa. He wanted to wake her up, but decided against it. Instead, he settled himself into his sheets, curling up as much as his broken ribs would allow, tucking his casted hand against his chest protectively as he watched his friend.

-.-.-

Nurse Redheart had been a nurse at the Canterlot Hospital for fifteen years, recently promoted to work the high-security ward. There weren't a lot of patients in this ward, which made her job a little easier. At nine in the morning, she did wake up calls. Most patients were very reluctant to wake up, Redheart's attempts usually met with cursing and groans. Although she was reluctant to enter this particular room, she couldn't shirk her duties. Besides, he'd been a lot less trouble than anyone would've initially guessed…

As the nurse entered the room, she was surprised to see Discord already wide awake, curled up under his disheveled, sweaty sheets. She hesitated, then cleared her throat. Discord jumped, head turning to face her with wide, mismatched eyes.

"Er… have you gotten any sleep?" Discord hesitated, then slowly shook his head. "Oh… if you wouldn't mind, we have medicine that can help—" he shook his head again, much more insistent this time. "Okay… well, I have your breakfast. You can have it after I change your bandages, okay?" a pause, then Discord nodded.

Pushing the food cart into the room, Redheart sat next to Discord's bed. Using her hooves, she nudged Discord's left arm over to her, gently using her mouth to unravel the bandages, being as tender as possible as she rubbed ointment into the healing burn and antiseptic into the cuts, Discord wincing minutely at the slight sting, then she wrapped a fresh bandage around his arm. After repeating the action with his legs, Redheart turned to the cart, carefully taking a tray containing a bagel and scrambled eggs, along with a necessary utensils and a carton of milk, between her teeth. Placing the styrofoam tray on the nightstand, she looked up at the draconequus.

"Is there anything else you needed?" Discord just shook his head, already beginning to eat his food. "Alright. Just tap the button if you need anything." Redheart said, putting another tray next to the sleeper on her way out.

Discord was just finishing up his food when Fluttershy began to stir, and he watched her wake up.

"Mmmm…" she hummed as she woke up. "Oh, good morning Discord…" when she saw the shadows under his eyes, she got a worried look. "Oh Discord, you didn't sleep well." all he could do was shake his head. For once in his life, he didn't really feel like talking… "Did you have nightmares?" he nodded. "About… him?" another nod.

Fluttershy was sure what to tell him, so she just got up, ignoring her breakfast as approached the bed, getting up on her hind legs so she could muzzle him. Discord leaned into the comforting touch, sighing softly.

It would be okay… everything would be okay…

Why couldn't he believe himself?


End file.
